An Unknown Disturbance?! The Introduction of Nolan and Ikeda!
---- The trio were walking down a darkened road, leading to a haunted forest, Ikeda was being his usual cocky, perky self, and was practically skipping towards the adventure. Nolan was cautious, looking for any signs of trouble. The dark forest unsettled the young boy. Si leaped from tree to tree, like a silent butterfly, scanning for any possible danger to her two comrades. "So Elf-Boy, where're we going again?" Ikeda asked Nolan, in a teasing tone. "I mean, we're suppose to be going to a haunted forest, where people keep dying, and have 'You Are Free' imprinted on their heads. Oooo~ Scary isn't it?~" Ikeda chuckled, examining Nolan. "You scared, Elf-Boy? 'Cause I ain't. Heheh." Ikeda poked at his stomach. Nolan's lip curled. "Please Ikeda-san don't call me that." Nolan etched a rune in the air, causing the area around his body to glow with light. "Now we have light. I just hope we can find out what happened to those men." Si's visor glowed as it scanned for adversaries above the 2 guild mates below her. She hopped ahead of the group hiding her presence from all who might be trying to sense for them. Her blades of Judgement were ready for combat. "Oh c'mon Elf-Boy, I know you like that nick name, it's as you should, since I! The Mighty Ikeda, gave it to ya'." he stuck his tongue out, in a playful fashion. As the smell of sulfur filled the air. Ikeda sniffs the air, like a dog. "Oh Jesus, did Sis fart?" he bursted out in a full laugh. Stopping a few seconds afterwards. "Phew, that was a great laugh, but seriously now, do you smell that? Smells like... A rat's ass." he chuckled again. "Ikeda-san. Please stop, you're being very unkind to Si-san and me. I would like you to stop. Yes I do smell it, it's probably a sulfur deposit in the ground." Nolan said kindly. "Oh lighten up, Elf-Boy. Sulfur deposit in the ground. Maybe." He stopped, thinking for a few seconds. "Sis! Go see if that's a dead body or not, please and thanks!" he asked her, in a concerned tone. Si nodded "Understood" She leaped from tree to tree scanning the area spotting an unconscious man in a ditch. She jumped over to the tree near him, "We have a live one here! He must've overheard Ike's loud voice! Most likely we got an assassin cult type to deal with. Be on guard!" Her blades floating around her as she leaped down to check on the man's condition. The man was unconscious, but still alive, barely. His breathing was ragged, and fast, his heart rate was too great, he could go into cardiac arrest, if they never did anything first. "Nolan, go check it out, I'll go scout ahead. Alright?" Ikeda took off, without recieving an answer from Nolan. The man had a few letters itched into his skill, 'You Ar-' then it stopped, Si got to him before the murderer did. Nolan bent down next to Si and examined the body. "Si, I'm going to take off his shirt, are you ok with that?" I am going to see if I can heal him. Si started to float "Do what you need to do. We'll be on the lookout for the target." Si scanned around for any magical power signature in the area, the killer was close and would most likely not want to leave his job half finished. Nolan unbuttoned the man's shirt and channeled his magic into his gloves. He etched the Heal Rune on his chest and waited. The man stirred and looked up at Nolan. "Who are you?" The man asked, still in shock from his attacker. "I am Nolan a wizard from the Koma Inu Guild. I am here with my team, we are looking into who attacked you. Do you remember what they look like?" "H-He wore a mask... A trench coat... And he could turn into other people, like a chimaera, he usually turns into a helpless little girl, that's how he got me..." ---- About two kilometres from where Si and Nolan are, Ikeda was running ahead, to see if the killer fled the scene, but, he came across a little girl, who was sobbing into her hands, she looked beaten up, she was also on her knees. Her sobs were loud. "Uh... Hey there, do you need any help? Miss..?" She stopped, looking up at Ikeda. "M-My Dad was t-t... taken from me! W-Waaaaahhh!!!" she began to cry again, he went to her, and patted her head. "Don't worry, was he taken by a bad man?" Ikeda asked her. "Y-yes..." the little girl replied. "What did he look like?" Ikeda attempted to get information out of the girl. "B-Big and scary..." she told him. "I see, was there anything odd about him? Any magic? Or something out of the ordinary?" Ikeda asked her, in a more sympathetic tone. "N-No, could we leave... it's scary.." she asked him, on the verge of bursting into tears. "Alright, let's go." he turned around, about to take a step, before realizing something... The little girl wasn't killed, or taken... That wasn't right. "Hey, do you want to go fir-- AGH!" Ikeda fell, a bolt of lightning went through his shoulder, he fell to the ground, as the little girl began to laugh manically, morphing back into a man, wearing a mask and trench coat. "Stupid boy~" he said, with a sadistic tone, walking towards him. Ikeda began to crawl away, blood pouring from his wound, as he attempted to get to safety. "Oh god... SI! NOLAN! ANYONE!" "If you come into the woods today, you'll find a neat surprise~ If you go into the woods today, you'll see that someone'll die~" he laughed more, taking out a sharp blade. "No one is going to hear your screams~" ---- A blood curdling screech was hear from near Ikeda's location. ---- "You are all the same, helping little crying girls~ Predictable." The man told Ikeda, as he began to push his knife into Ikeda's thigh, a trickle of blood coming from it. "I-I have friends... They'll come for you... R-Rrgh..." Ikeda gritted his teeth, as the blade point pushed into him. ---- The man who was attacked looked around. "D-Did you hear that?!" he asked, terrified. "Ikeda... I'm sorry sir! I've got to go same my comrade!" Nolan ran through the woods. "Ikeda! Where are you? I'm coming!" Ikeda was still screaming, if Nolan or Si saw him, he'd be all cut up, blood everywhere, and his breathing is ragged, and frail. The suspect ran away. As he heard Nolan coming. Ikeda looked up at Nolan, with a grin. "Hey there... Elf-Boy... How's it?" he asked him, with a small laugh. His whole body was full of cuts, and gnashes. He chuckled to himself. "Should've stayed with the group... huh..." Ikeda coughed. "Where's Si..?" he asked Nolan. "I don't know, but I've got to get you patched up... Are you alright?" Nolan knelt beside him. "Let me try to help you.." Nolan reached out to touch his chest to draw a healing rune. There was a hole in Ikeda's right shoulder, blood pouring out of it. "Elf-Boy... You gotta' go, I don't think you'd be able to take him. I couldn't. Even though he got me with a sucker punch." When Nolan touched Ikeda, he winced, gritted his teeth, and whimpered, trying to make it look like he wasn't in pain. "Go, before he comes back..." Ikeda looked at Nolan. "Go get Sis, then come back, she'll cover you. She's strong..." ---- Si dashed towards Ikeda and Nolan's position slashing through whatever tree was in her way, her visor blazing red at her failure to keep the two safe from harm. She must get back to them before the killer strikes them down, her swords floating around her in a wing like formation as she went to get back to her group. ---- Nolan etched several runes on Ikeda's chest, the triggered the magic and Ikeda's minor wounds started to heal instantaneously. "Thanks Elf-Boy." Ikeda straightened himself up on the trunk of a tree, looking around. "Elf-Boy, where's Sis?" ---- What seemed to be Nolan, brutally injured staggered out from the forest, in front of Si. He began to stagger towards Si, falling over himself. "H-He's in there... Quickly, help me..." Nolan said, gesturing at his wounds. "I think he got... uhm... Ike? Yeah, he got Ike." Nolan coughed into his hand, blood. "Help me please!" Nolan bawled at Si. Si walked calmly over to the Nolan before him, but she showed no sign of compassion whatsoever, as the blades on her arms engaged and she held them to Nolan's neck "You are not Nolan, only I refer to Ikeda as Ike, Nolan refers to Ikeda as Ikeda, also Nolan has healing magic and so he would be able to heal wounds of that nature." Si was lying about Nolan having healing magic but the killer wouldn't know that, if anything she was looking for proof the Nolan in front of him was Nolan. But her voice was cold, emotionless, and worst of all lacked compassion while this was an act she was sure the Nolan in front of her was fake. He put his hands up. "Damn, you're good, for a machine~" a magic circle appears underneath Si. "But, not good enough. I'll set you free, Machine." A spark erupted. "Thunder Cocoon." a large bolt erupted from the ground, enveloping Si in a cocoon of lightning. "If you move, you'll die." the man morphed into his original form, a mask and cap, with a trench coat. "Just call me the Freer, alright?" he gave a sadistic smile. Bolts of lightning forming around him. "Are you ready to be set free?" Si held her arm up "Are you ready to be judged?" Her blades erupted from the cocoon "Lightning has no effect on me." She herself was covered in lightning as well, her blades span around her as she floated in front on him "The Wheels of Fate are turning. Prepare to be judged by the heavens." As she said this Si's power no longer was hidden as it could be sensed for a good distance away. He raises an eyebrow. "Should gotten the kids first, shouldn't I?" he giggled to himself, magic power compressing itself in the palm of his hand. "I could kill them, if I wanted. But, you wouldn't be able to tell if this was a bluff. Would you?" he smiled. "I have magic circles around your two friends, they'll be fried. Do you risk this?" he asked her, his eyes showing that he is telling the truth. Si just snapped her fingers as fire engulfed Freer as the Spatial Magic teleported him into Si's dimension of judgement. "That should stop you from trying to fry anyone... Options are open.... Keeping him in there till I check on the others..." Freer at the moment is not only stuck in Si's spatial pocket dimension, he is unable to access his magic circles where Si and gang are. Si jumped over to where Nolan and Ikeda were "Target captured." Si gave them a thumbs up as she reached them. "I'm cold." Ikeda stated, in a playful tone, a big pool of his blood engulfed the land around Ikeda, as his bigger wounds were closing up. He looked up to Si. "Great job Sis, I'm sorry I couldn't do anything... Got me before I realized it was him." Ikeda began to tear up, looking down. "I couldn't do a damned thing... I almost got myself killed..." Ikeda started to weep silently. "I-I'm sorry..." he apologized to Nolan and Si, attempting to make up for his mistake. Nolan scowled turning his back on Ikeda. "This is why you don't go off alone.. You had me worried." Si grinned as she got close to the group dispelling the magic circles under them with her blades. "The solution is simple, train and get stronger. You may have lost this time but learn from your error and grow from it. Strength is good, but friends are always there to help out when you are in need of assistance. Now I do believe we have a convict and an injured civilian to return to civilization." Si picked up Ikeda and placed him on Nolan, as she went to go get the injured civilian Freer had captured earlier. Ikeda tightened his grip around Nolan's neck, softly weeping onto his back. "I-I'm sorry, Elf-Boy... I won't try to worry you again..." his wounds were still healing, some blood getting onto Nolan's clothing. "I'll clean your clothes too, Elf-Boy." Nolan carried him silently, following Si's path. His heart was pounding, he was useless. He should've opened up his father's book. It would have taught him powerful runes so that he could save him. Si carried the injured civilian, it would take a while before they got back to civilization but the killer was apprehended in an area in which he can harm no one. He would get the justice he deserves for his actions Si swore it. "Sis, could I ask a favour?" Ikeda asked her, whilst they were walking. "Depends, what is the favour?" Si questioned Ikeda as they were walking. "I want a rematch with him." Ikeda said, his aura turning cold. His voice soulless. "Please." Nolan almost dropped Ikeda. "Ikeda, What do you mean? We've gotta turn him in." "A rematch, to the death. To attone for his sins." Ikeda said, in a 'simply put' tone. "That's what we do in my country, kill who deserves to be killed." Ikeda's tone got colder. "He could've killed you Nolan, he killed many other people as well. He almost hurt Sis, now I've got a grudge." Ikeda told him. Si looked towards Ikeda. "You may have a point, but ultimately who are we to decide the fate of 1 when its ultimately up to the rune knights and the government. His sins are great but they are not yours to judge. Even then I will not let blood be on your hands." Si said this calmly. "Justice will be dealt but not by you Ikeda. Thats a group decision, if Nolan agrees I will let you fight him, but I won't let you fight alone." Si said this as she thought over it for a while. Ikeda dropped from Nolan's back, putting a hand onto his shoulder, turning him. "Elf-Boy, if you don't agree with me, I will be angry with you. So please, Elf-Boy, let me fight him... I need too..." Ikeda was staring into his eyes. "Please..." he asked, in his more sincere tone. "I need to have this fight, I need too... Please understand me..." Ikeda squeezed Nolan's shoulder tightly. Nolan looked down. "Fine, but I am going to back you up if you get in trouble." Ikeda pulled Nolan's hat down, over his eyes. "Thanks Elf-Boy, I won't need any help though." he stuck out his tongue, then looked to Si. "Alright Sis, two on one, get that Freer guy out now." he had a sadistic grin overcome his face. Si nodded "You have a 30 second prep time, do not let him escape nor will you kill him. These are my conditions, I will intervene if I deem my actions required, so be ready I shall begin the countdown now," As Si said this she watched as they got ready for her to release Freer. "Requip; Mode Behemoth" Ikeda simply stated, a hulking black armour, with horns on it's arms, and head. A canon on each arm, and intriquate designs on it appeared on Ikeda, steam came out of it's arms. "I'm ready now." he said, under the helmet, he had a smirk. "Ikeda. Be careful please." Nolan said backing away from his companion. "I believe in you." Si held her hand out "Keep in mind he might be on fire... don't ask how... I won't reply to that question." When she threw Freer out of her Spatial dimension not only was Freer on fire, he had a few bad burns over his body. Si's blades stood ready in case Freer tries to make a break for it. Before Si, or Nolan could see, an after image of Ikeda was in the place he was just in, but, Freer's arm slowly dropped from it's socket, a terrible ripping noise accompanied the dropping of the arm. Freer with fear in his eyes, looked to where his arm was attached, then writhed in pain, he dropped to his knees, his forehead square on the ground, he held his arm stump, gasping. "W-What the hell was that?!" Freer asked, looking up to where Ikeda was standing. "Requip; Mode Normal." Ikeda was back to normal, a red scythe in his hands, the blade almost three quarters tall as Ikeda's body, with the handle the same length, he had a wicked smile on his face, glaring at Freer. "You should've killed me when you had the chance, Mister. Now, it's! Judgement time~! You killed, now it is time for your turn, to get the ultimate punishment! Death! I, Ikeda The Mighty! Shall set you free!~" Ikeda said, twirling around the scythe, looking a little... Too excited for this. Before Si, or Nolan could react, to what Ikeda was doing, another after image of where Ikeda was faded from existance, cuts and gnashes forming all over Freer's body, spurts of blood coming from each cut, slash and gnash. Then, before Freer could say a word about his injuries, his face went numb, then pale, he used his good arm, to feel his neck, then his head slowly fell from his limp body, as he dropped onto the ground. Dead. "Looks like he was set free, huh." Ikeda chuckled to himself. Ikeda was now by Nolan's side, smiling sadistically. "Whoops, went overboard~" Ikeda giggled, then he yawned, cutely. "Well, time to go back, huh, Elf-Boy?" Ikeda asked Nolan. Si sighs before picking up the injured person from before "Ikeda you carry the proof we need to prove we took him down. Don't think they'll care if it turns out he ended up dead, now let's head on back." Si then began the journey back with the group. Nolan was horrified. He had no idea that Ikeda was that powerful, it sent shivers down his spine. Right in front of him there was a dead man. The half-elf's stomach churned, and he felt bile rise into his throat. It took him three seconds to keel over onto the ground and begin to retch. Ikeda leaned over, then started to rub Nolan's back. "That's okay, Elf-Boy, just let it out." Ikeda was rubbing Nolan's back with one hand, with his free hand, he was rubbing Nolan's neck. "Oh you poor thing, I'm sorry..." Ikeda felt kind of bad, for making Nolan blow chunks. Si tossed a pebble at a tree, with it going all the way through that tree and at least 4 others, she smiled back at the Ikeda and Nolan. "Let us get a move on, this guy and Ikeda require medical attention for damages sustained to their persons, as fun as it is to watch someone hurl we must hurry or else we risk infection upon the injuries of those who have sustained them." Si said this stressing the urgency that they return so wounds can be treated. "I can heal some of Ikeda's minor wounds.." Nolan was still ill, he wasn't sure how to feel about Ikeda anymore. The young man was very conflicted. "But, maybe it would be faster to just get back to the guild." Ikeda walked in front of Nolan. "Hey, Elf-Boy, you have a weak stomach, don't you?" Ikeda asked him, in wonderment. "I mean, things like this happens each and every day at Dragon Sword Island. If you're coming to meet up with my friends and family there someday, I think you need to toughen up a little." Ikeda stuck his tongue out at Nolan again, in a playful fashion, then giggled to himself. "Well, anyways, let's get going." Ikeda walked over to the severed head, picking it up, taking off his vest to cover it, for Nolan, of course. Ikeda began to walk, taking point from here on in, there shouldn't be anymore danger. Just a while before they'd get to the Guild, if anyone would have any questions to ask, now would be the time. "Ikeda-san. Where did you learn requip like that?" Nolan asked, swallowing his fear. "My mother." he replied, borely. "If my intuition is right, you sound kinda' scared, what's up?" he asked. "I.. I can't continue with you.. I am going to go back to the guild on my own." Nolan said walking away. Ikeda was in front of Nolan, before he could get away, standing tall, huffing. "Nuh-uh, Elf-Boy, you're coming with me. If you like it or not." Ikeda said, with a cherrful smile on his face. "Sis, how much longer until we get back to the Guild?" Si no longer in her combat attair walking backwards. She calmly took in the tone of the conversation and responded "About 3 hours or so... or instantly if I wanted us to travel via Spatial Magic. But I wanted you to consider your actions on the way..." Her eye was closed as she stopped and stood tall observing the situation. Nolan gripped his father's book and swallowed. "Ikeda, you scare me. I c-cannot be friends with someone that heartless. Please let me go." "Heartless?" Ikeda was still in front of Nolan, leaning in towards his face. "If I was as heartless as you say I am, would I have told you to leave me? Would I have tried my hardest to make you go away? Because there was a trap there, you could've died, and why would I be heartless to you..? I mean, that'd be stupid." Ikeda put his hand onto Nolan's head, petting him in a gentle fashion. "Really, Elf-Boy, you need to learn things about this world, it's cruel, unforgiving, but yet... Beautiful. There's things that will happen, that will make you upset, angry, cry, happy, cry tears of joy, and other emotions will flood out, but by the time you realize that this will happen, all along in your life, then you'd realize it too late. Life's about accepting people for who they are, and what they do. It was either me or him, which would you choose? In my shoes." Ikeda asked, this being one of the only times he took things seriously. "Ikeda. Leave me alone." Nolan shoved Ikeda's arm off him and took a step back. "If you do not leave me alone I will have to use force." Nolan hated violence, but if he had to, he would use force against his guild-mate. "I will not leave you alone, but, if you're going to use force, I'm going to carry you there myself. Over my shoulder." he winked to Nolan, in a playful fashion, not taking Nolan seriously. "C'mon, do I need to apologize? If so, how many times?" he giggled. "I am not joking." Nolan said sternly. "Leave me alone Ikeda." He turned again and started walking along another past going southwest instead of south. "I wasn't either, but, I'm keeping around you, if you like it or not." Ikeda began to follow Nolan, huffing, his cheeks and chest puffed out. Nolan etched a rune in the air. "Earth Rune." A large wall of earth rose up between Nolan and Ikeda, blocking his path. "I'm leaving." Ikeda was beside Nolan again, due to his Flash Raven, he yawned. "Gotta' do better than that, Elf-Boy." he chirped. Si walking up to them spoke calmly "Ikeda let him go. If you insist on this pressuring I will interfere..." A single blade of her blades of judgement in her hand as she walked in between the two. Her demeanor was very serious as she looked at Ikeda. "Well, why should I let him go?" he asked, in a calm, irritating voice. Si simply stated "Because he clearly wishes to be left alone. That enough is enough to leave him be for now." Si's voice never changed tones but she gave no openings for Ikeda to even try to sneak through. "Nolan, head on out I'll meet ya back at the guild hope ya get things sorted out." Si continued to block Ikeda waiting for Nolan to get out of sight before resuming her course back to the guild.